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BOLL WEEVIL 



REPORT 

OF THE 

SOUTH CAROLINA BOLL WEEVIL 

COMMISSION 

RICHARD 1. MANNING, Chairman 



PREPARED BY 

WALTER M. RIGGS 

PRESIDENT OF CLEMSON AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 
OF SOUTH CAROLINA 



OCUMENT 

76 




l\-'^■h^^^ 



PRESENTED BY MR. DIAL 

October 20 (Calendar day, October 26), 1 92 i.— Referred to 
the Committee on Printing 



WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1921 






SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 158. 



RErORTED BY MR. MOSES. 



In the Senate of the United States, 
October W {calendar day^ Novemher 2), 1921. 

Resolved., That the manuscript entitled " Report of the South 
Carolina Boll Weevil Commission, Bulletin Numbered 20, of the 
Clemson Agricultural College, of South Carolina," be printed with 
accompanying illustrations and corrections to date as a Senate docu- 
ment. 
Attest : 

George A. Sanderson, Secretary. 
By H. M. Rose, Assistant Secretary. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



nc-ortvED 






^«>^ 



PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION, 1921. 



In Jiil.y, 1915, a coinmittce of trustees and officials of Clemson 
College visited the boll-weevil section in order better to advise the 
farmers of this State in advance of the coming of the weevil to 
South Carolina, Their findings and recommendations were em- 
bodied in a bulletin, several editions of which appeared durin<'- 
1915 and 1916. 

In spite of war conditions and the liigh price of cotton during 
several of the intervening years, the warnings and advice contained 
in this timely bulletin have had much to do Avith preparing South 
Carolina for the inevitable infestation. Our people are not fully 
prepared, but are not wholly unprepared. 

Through the kindness of Senator N. 13. Dial this bulletin is being- 
reprinted as a Senate document. It has been found advisable to make 
some additions to the original manuscript in order to embody con- 
clusions that have been reached during the last three or four years. 
It is now put out in revised foi-ni with the hope that the good work 
it has accomplished thus far in i)reparing our people for the boll 
weevil will be continued until the struggle for adjustment and 
supremacy over the boll weevil is fully won. 

W. M. RiGGS, 

President Clemson Agi'kidtural College. 
Clemson College, S. C, Oetober 20, 1921. 



PERSONNEL OF COMMISSION. 



REPRESENTING CLEMSON AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 

Trustees: Richard I. Manning, governor, Columbia, S. C. (chair- 
man) ; Alan Johnstone, president of board, Newberry, S. C. ; B. H. 
Rawl, Chief Dairy Division, United States Department of Agricul- 
ture, Washington, D. C. 

Officers : W. M. Riggs, president Clemson College, South Carolina ; 
J. N. Harper, dean agricultural department, Clemson College, South 
Carolina ; W. W. Long, director extension, Clemson College, South 
Carolina ; A. F. Conradi, State entomologist, Clemson College, South 
Carolina. 

REPRESENTING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 

W. D. Hunter, Bureau Entomology, Washington, D. C, and J. A. 
Evans, States Relations Service, Washington, D. C, representing the 
United States Department of Agriculture. 

A, C. Moore, professor of biology, Columbia, S. C, representing 
the South Carolina University. 

Bright Williamson, Darlington, S. C, representing the South 
Carolina Bankers Association. 

B. F. Taylor, secretary Cotton Seed Crushers' Association, Colum- 
bia, S. C, representing the South Carolina Cotton Seed Crushers' 
Association. 

H, T. Morrison, president Farmers' Union, McClellanville, S. C, 
representing the State Farmers' Union. 

Joe Sparks, Columbia, S. C, representing the South Carolina Press 
Association. 



FARMERS' READING COURSE. 

[Bulletin No. 20.] 

Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina — The Exten- 
sion Division, in Cooperation with the United States Depart- 
ment of Agricultltre. 

W. W. Long, Director of Extension. 



Preliminary Statement, 
organization. 

At a mectinp; of the aa'ricnltural committee of the board of trustees 
of Clemson College at Drainlancl in July, 1915, a committee of trus- 
tees and college officials was organized to visit the boll-weevil sec- 
tion in order to give to the farmers of South Carolina first-hand im- 
pressions of conditions and to suggest methods of preparedness. Cir- 
cumstances prevented this committee making its trip in the summer 
or fall of 1915. 

At a meeting of the agricultural committee at Clemson College, 
July, 191G, it was decided to enlarge the commission by inviting 
State-wide organizations to furnish each a representative on the 
commission. An invitation was sent to the following organizations: 

The University of South Carolina. 

The State clepartment of agriculture. 

The United' States Department of Agriculture. 

The South Carolina Bankers' Association. 

The South Carolina Cotton Seed Crushers' Association. 

The South Carolina State Farmers' Union. 

The State Press Association. 

The personnel of the commission as finally constituted is shown 
on the preceding page, and includes in addition to the college officials 
the representatives of those organizations accepting the invitation of 
the agricultural committee. 

THE VISIT TO THE BOLL-WEEVIL TERRITORY. 

The commission set out on its trij) of inspection on September 30. 
A day was spent in New Orleans in consultation with merchants, 
cotton factors, bankers, and other business men. Six days were spent 
in traveling over the State of Louisiana. One day was spent in 
Mississippi and one day in Alabama. 

Louisiana was selected as the principal field for investigation be- 
cause the boll weevil had been in that State long enough to per- 
manently affect its agricultural and economic conditions. Further- 
more, through the courtesy of Prof. W. R. Dodson, director of the 
Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, the commission was 
assured of exceptional advantages for its study of conditions. 



' The passages printed in italics are revisions substituted for passages in the original 
report. 

5 



G BOLL WEEVIL. 

The itinerary of the commission inehided visits to typical boll- 
weevil sections, in some of ^Yhich the raising of cotton has been prac- 
tically abandoned and others in which fair crops of cotton are still 
being produced. An inspection of the ex})erimental laboratories of 
the United States Department of Agricnlture at Tululah, La., and 
the accompanying held exjieriments near tiie same place was included 
in the commission's investigations. Most of the commission's time 
was cpent in the open country, and many individuals of all classes and 
pursuits Avere interviewed. The commission sought by industry and 
the use of every available source of information in the territory a^s- 
ited to arrive at conclusions at once conservative and accurate. 

The Bkookhaven Report. 

On October 7, the commission held a meeting at Brookhaven, Miss. 
After careful consideration of every word the following preliminary 
report was adopted : 

1. That the invasion of the State of South Carolina by the boll weevil within 
a year, and the general infestation of the State probably within throe years, is 
a certainty. No means have yet been discovered that promis-e to check or pre- 
vent the advance of this insect pest. AVhen it arrives it must be regarded as a 
permanent factor in our agriculture, to be dealt with accordingly. 

2. That wherever the boll weevil has become established tlie result has been 
agricultural and economic panic and resulting demoralization. Advances to 
farmers by banks and merchants on the cotton crop have been greatly curtailed 
and values have been greatly depressed ; the Negro labor has largely lt>ft the 
country, and the cotton crop, the basis of credit and profit, has been, for the fii'st 
few years at least, almost completely destroyed. The result has been the loss of 
lands and homesteads l)y owners, inability by tenants to pay out, and a period 
of great poverty and distress among all classes of agricultural people. 

3. That it will be impossible to depend entirely as heretofore on the cotton 
crop, although some cotton of an early maturing variety may be successfully 
grown on soils especially adapted to quick growth under frequent and intensive 
cultivation. 

Given ample labor and fertilizers and favorable climatic conditions, a profit- 
able crop on reduced acreage may be made. With unfavorable season the boll 
weevil may destroy practically the entire crop. 

4. That to prepare for the coming of the boll weevil, merchants, bankers, and 
farmers should cooperate. Intelligent conununity action is necessary to pre- 
vent the disaster due to the initial panic following the first crop failure. 

Farmers should begin now to live at home, to cut down expenses, to get free 
of debt, and lay by a small capital to tide over the inevitable period of readjust- 
ment. Wherever practicable, the small farmer should have or obtain a milk 
cow and a brood sow, should plant a garden for the suV)sistence of the family, 
and practice upon a small scale the raising of substitute money crops, and 
should support and patronize the cooperative creameries and the packing houses 
at Orangeburg and Greenville, which enterprises are established to furnish the 
farmers of the State a ready marlcet for dairy and meat products. 

The approaching problem should be explained to the Negro labor, so that 
designing agents may not succeed in enticing it away. 

Merchants, cotton-oil manufacturers, and other business men should begin now 
to provide easy markets for these products that must in a large measure substi- 
tute the raising of cotton. 

0. Tliat with the coming of the weevil, the first consideration should be to 
retain the labor on the farm and to produce all possible food supplies at home. 
The people of all classes should be prepared to face with courage and faith a 
period of readjustment. At least one year must be lived with restricted credit, 
and this first year will be a very hard one unless provision has been made to 
meet it on some more substantial basis. 

In the case of owners, debt may mean a sacrifice of their holdings, for the 
basis of credit will be temporarily impaired by the depression of farm values. 



BOLL WEEVIL. 7 

6. That to the merchant whose business has been principally that of advancing 
to fanners, the coming of tlie l)oll weevil has meant one year of practically no 
business and the practical abandonment of the present advancing system on the 
cotton crop. Afterwards a business of reduced volume on a cash basis has been 
built up with satisfactory profits. 

It can not be too strongly emphasized that cotton production on the basis of 
advances to the tenant has proven uniformlj; disastrous to both parties, but espe- 
cially to the merchant. 

7. That the degree of permanent disaster is dependent upon the cooperation 
and determination with which the people of infested territory meet the situation. 

Where people have recognized a common problem and met the situation tirmly 
and with sane business conservatism ; where the merchants have restricted ad- 
vances on the cotton crop as collateral and insisted on rigid economy; where 
the farmers have practiced this economy and diversified their agriculture, pro- 
ducing first a living from the farm, the general testimony is that agricul- 
ture under such conditions promises a readjustment on a sounder basis than 
existed before the coming of the weevil. Those who have prepared for the 
weevil's coming have suffered little of financial embarrassment. But for the 
man in debt, the iniprovident, and the unbeliever, the boll \\eevil has spelled a 
disaster almost inconceivable in its completeness. 

It is the purpose of this report to go into o-reater detail as to the 
conditions to be expected and the remedies to be applied. 

The Boll Weevil. 

Since this report is concerned chiefly with the ao-ricultiiral and 
economic aspects of the boll weevil, no attempt will be made to oive 
a detailed or strictly scientific statement regarding- its habits or life 
history.- Only such information as will aid in a better understand- 
ing of the necessary methods of control Avill be attempted, and this 
in simple and popular°form. However, the facts are taken mainly 
from Dr. Hunter's bulletin (Farmers' Bulletin No. 512), and are 
to be relied upon. 

LIFE HISTORY. 

A full-groAvn Mexican boll weevil is from one-eighth inch to one- 
fourth inch in length. Its snout is about one-half its body length. 
In color it varies from light yellowish when young to a grayish 
brown or black when fully matured. 

There are so many insects resembling very closely the Mexican 
boll weevil that the only sure way to determine Avhether an insect is 
a boll weevil or not is to send it to the State entomologist for exam- 
ination. If a cotton field shows an unusual number of falling- 
squares, the bracts of which flare out instead of closing in closely 
upon the bud, it is a good indication that weevils are present. The 
boll weevil lives through the winter only in the adult stages. With 
the first cold w^eathor the weevils seek shelter under logs, in high 
grass and weeds, in old fences, and anyw-here that will furnish pro- 
tection during hibernation. The moss that hangs from the trees 
in the low^ country is an ideal place of refuge. In these sheltered 
positions the weevils try to live out the winter, but only about 3 
per cent survive. Since a conservative estimate of the possible 
progeny of a single pair of weevils during the season is above 

2 Tho>ie interested in a scientific study of the weevil should write to the United States 
Department of Agriculture for Bulletin Xo. 358, entitled " Study of the Mexican Cotton- 
Boll Weevil in tlie Mississippi Valley." 



8 BOLL WEEVIL. 

3,000,000, it can readily be seen that only a small per cent of those 
that go into winter quarters need survive in order to give the 
farmer a large amount of trouble. 

With the coming of the early spring the weevils begin to emerge 
and seek food after their long winter nap. The young cotton just 
appearing above ground is likely to be attacked. Unless the plants 
are strong and hardy, many of them will be killed, and this killing 
of young plants is the first indication of the season that weevils are 
present. The weevils suck also the tender shoots and young leaves 
of the cotton plants until the first s(juares appear. These constitute 
the favorite food of the Aveevil, and many of the squares are killed 
or are badly deformed by injury to feeding punctures. 




Fio. 1. — ^Cotton sqiiaro showing ogs luincture of boll weevil and " flaring " of Ijracts. 
Katural size. (Author's illustration.) 

As soon as the young squares form, the female Aveevils also begin 
to puncture them and to lay eggs in the hole. The flaring of the 
leaflets of the square, which under ordinary conditions close tightly 
around the bud, is a symptom that there is an egg in the square. 

The average time foV the egg to hatch out is about four days. The 
larva, which emerges from the egg in the form of a small white grub, 
feeds upon the inside of the square, and in seven or eight days is 
ready to change to the pupa stage. In another seven or eight days 
it is ready to emerge as a fully grown weevil and ready for its life's 



BOLL WEEVIL. 9 

business, which is principally that of reprocluction. The entire 
time from the layino- of the eo-jr until the emergence of the fnllgrown 
weevil varies with temperature and humidity, but is usually three or 
four weeks or longer. 

During the early growing reason the Aveevils move about from 
plant to plant, but no general flight takes place until late in the sea- 
son, probal)ly not earlier than the middle of August. The weevils 
then sometimes move as far as 40 miles in short successive flights. 
As soon as the weather begins to get cold all adult weevils begin 
to seek shelter, so as to pass the Avinter in safety. Many of the eggs 
laid in the squares continue their development if sufficiently pro-- 
tected from the cold. The weevils thus produced hibernate during 
the winter and are ready to join their parents in the campaigii 
against the farmers the following spring. 

SPREAD OF WEEVIL. 

The boll weevil's first invasion of the United States was in 1892 
in the vicinity of Brownsville, Tex. Since that time it has advanced 
from year to year in practically concentric curves. There have been 
some interruptions due to climatic conditions, but an annual averao-e 
advance of more than 50 miles per year has been made. 

The pest crossed the Savannah River hi Xovenihcr, 1017\ and hi/ 
sjjreading over additional territory in sueceedinr/ seasons it had cov- 
ered the entire, cotton-irroducing area of this State in the fall of 1920. 

Comparison of Sot'th Carolina and Louisiana. 

Many people maintained that the conditions in this State were 
different from those in the other States where the greatest damac/e 
taas clone hy the iveevil. However^ a careful comparative study of 
conditions as well as the evidence of destructiveness already ex- 
hihited in the louder counties during 1920 and 1921 have shown that 
this is not the case. 

Careful study would indicate that such is not the case. There 
may be less damage in the Piedmont sections on account of the ele- 
vation and the lower winter temperatures, but over against these 
advantages must be put the disadvantage of the heavy soil type and 
the large amount of hibernating shelter furnished by terraces and 
woodland. 

Except in the upper Piedmont S3ction, the situation in South 
Carolina approaches very closely to that of central and northern 
Louisiana, where tlie recent investigation of boll-weevil conditions 
shows the mo:-;t disastrous results. 

CHIEF controlling factors. 

The two most important climatic factors vdiich affect the boll 
weevil are minimum winter temperature and maximum summer rain- 
fall. Winter temperatures have the effect of controlling the number 
of weevils which pass through the winter. Summer rainfall has an 
important effect upon the reproduction of the weevils. A heavy 
summer rainfall is most favorable to a large hatch of the weevil eggs 
laid in the squares. A hot dry summer has the opposite effect. In 
S. Doc. 76, 67-1 2 



10 BOLL, WEEVIL. 

Texas it is the Ioav rainfall clurinj^ spriiijr and summer, especially 
in the western part of the State, which enables it to maintain its 
production of cotton. Such conditions do not apply in South Caro- 
lina and Louisiana. 

COMPARISON OF MINIMUM TEJIPERATURE. 

In a map prepared by the Weatlier Bureau a line indicatino- mini- 
mum absolute temperatures of zero runs across South Carolina from 
Marlboro to Aiken County, which is practically throu^^h the center 
of the State. This same line passes across the State of Louisiana 
about two-thirds the distance from the southern boundary. It is 
thus evident that throuo:hout the most important cotton zone of 
South Carolina the winter conditions are similar to those in that 
portion of Louisiana where the production of cotton has been very 
g-reatly reduced. A typical parish in this section of Louisiana 
showed a fallino- off of from 21,000 l)ales to 6,000 bales on account 
of the comino; of the weevil. This reduction was due in part to the 
destructive effects of the insect itself and ])artly to the reduction of 
acreage occasioned. On the scoi'o of winter tcm]>erature there is no 
other conclusion but that South Carolina Avill suffer j^ractically as 
did northern Louisiana. 

COMPARISON OF RAINFALL. 

The important rainfall, so far as the boll weevil is concerned, is 
from about June 1 to July 31, this being* the period of fruiting. 
Weather Bureau figures show an average j^recipitation for this 
period in South Carolina of 10.9 inches and Louisiana 16.2 inches. 
The total annual precipitation in Louisiana is about 53.4 inches as 
against 49.5 inches for South Carolina, but the excess in Louisiana 
occurs largely in vv^inter, when it is of no especial importance in the 
matter of weevil control. The zone throughout the State of South 
Carolina in which the summer j^recipitation is 16 inches or more 
comprises practically 75 per cent of the important cotton-producing 
counties of the SlNte. This same zone of I'ainfall extends over the 
lower third of Louisiana, passing through the neighborhood of 
Baton Rouge, and includes parishes in which there has been a re- 
duction- of at least 75 i^er cent of the cotton crop on account of the 
weevil. Here again we find conditions in South Carolina and Lou- 
isiana similar. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

There are several factors other than minimum Avinter tempera- 
tures and maximum summer rainfall which have a bearing on the 
Aveevil problem. Among them is the length of the "rowing season — 
that is, the number of days between the last killing frost in the 
spring to the first killing frost in the fall. In this respect South 
Carolina is similar to the northern counties of Louisiana and the 
southern counties of Arkansas, where the damage has been mate- 
rial. The obvious conclusion from the above facts is that in South 
Carolina there will be a condition very similar to that in Louisiana 
and in Mississippi, with an added difficulty, viz, that the cotton 
crop in South Carolina can not be made without the use of con- 



BOLL WEEVIL. H 

siderable amount of commercial fertilizers, while in Louisiana little 
or no fertilizers need be used. 

The above explanation is made in order that the people of South 
Carolina may not feel that there are any special conditions of soil 
or climate that can be ex])ected to make the boll-weevil problem in 
this State less serious than it has been in other States. As a matter 
of fact, when the fertilizer situation is considered, Georgia and 
South Carolina are liable to suffer oreater loss than any other States 
thus far invaded. In South Carolina an additional danoer lies in 
the attraction which the cotton mills hold out to the famiW of the 
small farmer. 

METHODS OF CONTROL. 

Throu£?h heat and sunshine, ants, insect parasites, birds, and the 
crushino- effect of the injured square on the eggs and larva nature 
keeps up its warfare against the boll weevil. 

Technical iiwestigations are still on the way, and tvhile soil huUd- 
ing and agricultural opeimtions may always he expected to he funda- 
mentcd in producing a cotton crop under weevil conditions, experi- 
mental ivork of recent years has shown that the holl weevil can he 
poisoned with proft whenever conditions are favorable for this ivorh 
and correct methods are employed. Unfortunately during 1920 and 
1921 the loeather conditions in South Carolina were extremely ad- 
verse for poisoning and, generally no profitahle results were secured. 
The evidence at hand from other States looidd indicate that holl- 
tveevil poisoning in South Carolina would he proftahle on good land, 
Vjith more favorahle ii^eather conditions than those of 1921, and pro- 
vided that poisoni7ig is correctly done. The Delta Lahoratory, Tal- 
lidah. La., which has heen chiefly instrumental in developing the 
poisoning method, to its present status, mcd^es the following recom- 
mendations: 

Plow TO roisox. 

Cse only pure calcium, arsenate in the form of a dry poirder. Ap- 
ply this in the dust form. 

Purchase this to conform, to the following specifications: 
Not less than //) per cent of total arsenic jyenfoxid. 
Not more than 0.76 per cent water-soluhle arsenic pentoxid. 
Density not less than 80 or more than 100 cuhic inches per pound. 

Have your county agent send a sample of your calcium arsenate to 
the' Delta Lahoratory, 2\dlulah, La., for free analysis, to make sure 
it is satisfactory. 

Use only dusting machinery especicdly constructed for cotton dust- 
ing. 

Poison only when the air is ccdni and the plants arc moist. This 
p>ractically means only flight applications. 

Use ahout o to 7 pounds of calcium arsenate per acre for each 
application. 

Start 'poisoning when the weecils have punctured f/om 10 to 1-5 
per cent of the squares. 

Keep your cotton thoroughly dusted, until the weevils are under 
control. This usu(dly means aljout three applications at the rate of 
one every four days. 



12 BOLL WEEVIL. 

Then sfoj') poison'mg vnfil the iceev'/ls ar/ain hccome alnuulanf. If 
the loeevUs become abundant early enough to injure your young bolls, 
make one or tioo more applications late in the season. 

If you have a heavy rain within 2J^ hours after dusting, repeat this 
application immediately. 

Do not expect to eradicate the tveevils. Poisoning merely controls 
them sufficiently to permit a full crop of cotton, and you can always 
find, weevils in the successfully poisoned feld. 

Keep your cotton acreage loio and do everything possible to in- 
crease your yield per acre, as it costs just as much to poison one- 
quarter bale per acre cotton as bale per acre cotton. 

Ahvays leave cm occasioned portion of a cut irn poisoned for com- 
'parison with the adjoining poisoned tract. This /rill shoio how much 
you have increased your yield by poisoning. 

If you are considering poisoning, write the Delta Laboratory, at 
Tallulah, La., for more detailed, information; also ask the advice of 
your county agent. 

Do it right or not at all. 

The chief artificial means of controUinf; the boll Aveevil are found 
in cultural methods. The weevils can not be exterminated. The 
only hope lies in reducing their number to the point where injury 
to the cotton crop will be a minimum. 

Effects op the Boee Weevil. 

effect on cotton production. 

Of the disastrous effect of the boll weevil on cotton production 
there can be no question. 

Many have cited the fact that Texas now produces more cotton 
than ever before to prove that the boll weevil is not really the menace 
that some believe it to be. However, the explanation in the case of 
Texas is found in the dry, hot climate; tlie large area of prairie land 
affording little winter shelter to the weevil; the severe w^inters in 
the western and northwestern portions of the State ; and the gradu- 
ally increasing acreage, most of which has been in that part of the 
State least favorable to the multiplication of the boll weevil. In 
1900 Texas was planting 7,0-11,000 acres and producing ■3.438,386 
bales of cotton. In 1914 the average had inc^reased to 11,921,000 
acres and the crop to 4,592,112 bales. An analysis of the Texas 
situation by counties shows that the boll weevil seriously reduced 
the crop in those counties which were in cotton before the weevil 
appeared. 

In Louisiana where the acreage remained practically the same dur- 
ing the same 14-year period the cotton production fell from 0.55 bale 
per acre to 0.34 bale per acre, and from a total of 705,767 bales to 
449,458 bales. In East Feliciana Parish, a section which in elevation 
and summer rainfall corresponds exactly to central South Carolina, 
the production in 1902 was 29,549 bales;" in 1915, 2,836 bales. In the 
adjoining parish of East Baton Rouge the ])roduction in 1908 was 
27^864 bales and in 1915 was 1,844 bales. In Madison Parish the pro- 
duction in 1902 Avas 21,844 bales; in 1915, 3,892 bales. 

These figures prove more eloquently than can any argument the 
net results of the boll-weevil invasion on cotton production. 



BOLL WEEVIL. 13 

However, there is a brig-ht side of this Louisiana picture, for Avhile 
the cotton crop of the State was greatly reduced, the total value of 
all crops produced in the State greatly increased. This is shown by 
the following figures, which are taken from Dr. Hunter's compila- 
tions: For tlie four years prior to the invasion by the boll weevil 
(1899 to 1902) the ;iverage value of all crops was $08,891,150 per 
year. For the first five 3^ears of infestation (1903 to 1907, inclusive) 
the average valu.e Avas $88,776,272. For the next five years (1908 to 
1912, inclusive), during which the effects of the weevil were most 
serious, the average was $78,111,000. During 1913 and 1914 the aver- 
age was $94,884,472. These figures teach the important lesson that 
while the boll weevil may reduce the cotton yield of a State, it does 
not necessarily reduce its ability to produce equal and even greater 
wealth. 

EFFECT ON OIL MILLS AND GINNERIES. 

No industries in the State are more seriously threatened by the 
coming of the weevil than are the cotton oil mills and gnneries. It 
Avill be interesting to note the effects of the boll weevil on tliese indus- 
tries in several States where the boll weevil has been present for a 
number of years. 

In 1906 there were 2,076 operating ginneries in Louisiana and 149 
idle. In 1915 th^re were only 1,086 operating ginneries and 351 idle. 
During this period, therefore, 788 ginneries entirely disappeared. 
Putting the average value of a ginnerv at $2 500, the loss in ginneries 
alone to the State of Louisiana was $1,900,000. In 1906 there were 
25 oil mills in operation. This year there are only 14, showing 11 
mills either idle or abandoned. The average value of an oil mill 
is aliout $30,000, making a total loss on ginneries and oil mills of 
$2,290,000. 

In Mississippi in 1900 there were 3,780 active ginneries and 372 
idle. In 1915 there were only 2,204 active ginneries and 534 idle. 
During this same period, therefore, in Mississippi, 1,414 ginneries 
disappeared, entailing a loss to the State of $3,535,000. In the same 
State there were 84 oil mills before the advent of the boll weevil, 
and this year there are only 54 operating, showing 30 oil mills 
abandoned or destro.yed. The total loss on ginneries and oil mills in 
Mississip])i was approximately $4,435,000. 

In South Carolina there are CO oil mills, owned by local capital. 
These mills crush one-fourth of the seed produced in the State. 
The other three-fourths is bought and crushed by corporations, such 
as the Cotton Oil Co., the Buckeye Cotton Oil Co., and the Union 
Seed & P'ertilizer Co. These corporations own large mills and can 
better tide over a bad situation. The small mills owned by South 
Carolinians do not occupy such a position. 

So far as the oil mills are concerned, therefore, the matter resolves 
itself into the proposition of raAv material. The mills are Avorthless 
unless they have sometliing to work, and if the boll weevil materially 
reduces the raAV material available some other seed that it is possible 
to work in oil mills must be provided. Otherwise there will result 
the same series of failures and abandonments that have taken place 
in the States cited. Peanuts, and especially soy beans, off'er the best 
solution. The soy bean can be grown successfully in all parts of 



14 BOLL WEEVIL. 

South Carolina, especially in the coastal plain section. Peannts can 
be orown on many liL':ht soils in this State. Therefore every effort 
should be made to educate the farmer to begin now to grow in a 
smnll way peanuts, and particularly soy beans. Such a beginning 
could be greatly stimulated if the cotton-oil mills v^-ould offer prizes 
for the best acres of soy l)eans. Tliese {n-emiums should be large 
vnough to create considerable interest in the State. A liberal buying 
l^olicy should also characterize the beginnings of the really important 
branch of agricultural production. 

So far as the ginneries arc concerned, there must necessarily result 
considerable loss, inasmuch as substitute raw materials can not be 
supplied, as in the case of oil mills. While it will be many years 
before South Carolina makes sufficient corn to supply its own needs, 
there are many individual farmers who make a surjjlus of corn. 
Machinery for husking, shelling, and sacking corn, oats, and other 
grains could be added to the equipment for ginneries. In this way 
at least a part of the machinery could be utilized to some advantage. 

EFFECT ON BANKS AND ADVANCE MERCHANTS. 

In States invaded by the boll weeA^l the banks and advance mer- 
chants were among the first to realize the economic danger and 
among the first to suffer. The diminished value of the cotton crop 
as a collateral and the serious depreciation in land values, the basis 
of a large amount of credit, caused considerable financial demoraliza- 
tion, and in some cases the added disaster of credit withdrawal 
ensued. 

In the main, however, bankers have shown themselves thoroughly 
posted and able both to protect and assist their customers. By 
limiting credit, insisting on diversihcation, and recognizing farm 
products other than cotton as satisfactory collateral, the situation 
during the hrst few years of boll-weevil infestation has been con- 
siderably relieved. 

In some cases banks suffered severe losses, but bank failures were 
remarkabl}' few. Banks and other creditors who refrained from a 
policy of foreclosure and continued to furnish restricted credit to 
their customers fared best. Some who ado])ted the policy of fore- 
closure found themselves with a large amount of depreciated prop- 
erty, difficult to dispose of, on their hands. 

During the second year of boll-weevil infestation bank deposits 
were but slightly affected, but for the following two or three years 
deposits were greatly reduced. It usually took banks from five to 
six years after the arrival of the weevil to gain what had been lost 
in the way of deposits. 

The first eff'ect of the boll weevil is to increase the bankers' re- 
sponsibility to the public. The entire withdrawal of credit would 
be much more disastrous than the eff'ect of the Aveevil itself. At the 
same time, extravagant use of credit would be bad business for the 
banks and a mistaken kindness to the farmers. 

The general experience of advance merchants was that they con- 
tinued making advances on the cotton crop one year too long, with 
disastrous effects. The general testimony was that the second year 
of boll-weevil infestation was a very lean year, with practically no 
advance business and only a small cash trade. In the course of two 



BOLL WEEVIL. 15 

or three years the volume of Inisiness increased, and althoiigh smaller 
than when conducted on an advance basis was more satisfactory, 
both as to collections and profits. The condition of the small farmer 
in those States where the advance system has practically disap- 
peared is much better than it was before. The comino; of the boll 
weevil will put an end to the present advance system of the cotton 
crop now so o-enerally practiced in South Carolina. 

It would be well if every merchant and banker would require as a 
fundamental condition to extending credit that the farmer raise, first 
of all, his living on the farm. 

EFFECT ON LABOR. 

In Louisiana and Mississippi a large number of the young and 
able-bodied Negroes left the State to seek employment elsewhere. 
This emigration Avas chiefly due to inability to get credit, and there- 
fore inability to make a living under the tenant system of farming. 
There seemed to be a general lack of appreciation on the part of 
the white people of the importance of retaining their Negro labor. 
With no capital and no credit on which to make another crop nothing 
remained for many Negro farmers but to move away and seek em- 
ployment in other agricultural sections, or in other lines of busi- 
ness. Many went to Oklahoma and western Texas, and carloads of 
them were moved north to supi^ly the deficit in Italian laborers due 
to the Eurojiean war. Throuii-hout Louisiana and JNIississippi laljor 
agents, sometimes cleverly disguised, planned the!ie movements of 
the Negroes and furnished the necessary money to transport them. 

The white people of the State should make the situation clear to 
the Negroes and by helpfulness and consideration seek to retain them 
against the enti'^ements which will undoubtedly be offered in this 
State, as it has been in other States. 

EFFECT ON LAND VALUES. 

In every section where the b')ll weevil has become active the values 
of farm lands have been greatly depressed. In many of the richest 
cotton sections of Louisiana the land has been sold at a low price 
for raising live stock. Usually the lowest level in land values is 
reached during the second and third years of infestation, after which 
there is a gradual recovery. The greatest danger is that farmers will 
become discourai'ed when unable to raise cotton successfully and 
dispose of their holdings. This is especially to be feared in those 
sections of the State where cotton mills offer remunerative work for 
all grown mem-bers of the family. Often after lands have changed 
hands a ncAV system of agriculture, with diversification as its key- 
note, has restored their value. It is a sad fact that in the boll-weevil 
sections much of the land is no longer in possession of the original 
owners. 

Our people should realize that land is the ultimate basis of value, 
and that it is only necessary to handle it properly to make it valuable, 
regardless of the type of agriculture practice(L It is too often the 
case that in the transition from cotton planting to a diversified system 
a new owner appears to reap the benefits of the change. 



16 BOLL WEEVIL. 

Changes in Agricultural Methods Due to the Weevil. 

Under boll-weevil conditions cotton can not be prodnced profitably 
on the old basis of snpjilying- the tenant with provisions and equip- 
ment. The serious objection to the old credit basis is that it has 
encouraged the tenant system and has taken away the intelligent 
supervision of the landlord. As a result the soil has been depleted 
and much of it washed away. 

The most successful farmers under boll-weevil conditions will 
raise all provisions, keep out of debt, and cultivate cotton by im- 
proved methods on a restricted area of the best lands. That the 
one-crop system has failed in nearly every section of our country is 
evidenced hy the poverty of a large per cent of our agricultural 
people after 50 years under such a s^^stem. Our farmers should be 
made to understand that intelligent diversification and proper rota- 
tion of crops is sound economy and the best remedy for boll-weevil 
conditions. Under such conditions it is absolutely necessary that the 
cotton planter establish a system of rotation that will in a large 
measure keep up the supply of nitrogen. Cotton should always fol- 
low a summer legume, such as cowpeas, soy beans, or velvet beans. 
The effect of these legumes will be to force the cotton to early fruit- 
ing, and this is essential in fighting the boll weevil. 

The following rotation is recommended : 

First year : Cotton. 

Second 37ear: Com, with soy beans, cowpeas, or velvet beans. 

Third 3'ear : Grain — the grain to be cut off and the land to be 
planted in peas ; the peas to be cut off for hay or turned under in the 
fall preparatory to a second cotton crop. 

In aldition to the crops mentioned in this rotation, many other 
crops should be grown. Wliere the soil types and climatic conditions 
are favorable and where suitable markets are accessible, tobacco, soy 
beans, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, canta- 
loupes, and various other truck crops can be profitably raised. There 
rti'e many sections of our State where fruit growing can be profitably 
engaged in. 

To properly utilize all of the products produced on the farm by 
the proper system of diversification, it is necessary to raise live stock. 
The keeping of live stock, especially dairy cattle, can be made a 
profitable occupation for the small farmer, especially those who do 
all of their own work. Every farmer should raise his own mules. 
The raising of beef cattle is also profitable if land is clieap and suit- 
able pasturage can be had. The same is true of sheep. In the 
northern section of our State, where much of the h.nd is too steep 
to cultivate, these side lines of farming should be found profitable. 

For the small farmer no form of live stock is more profitable than 
hogs. Pork can be produced cheaper in the South than in the North, 
especially where proper grazing crops are grown. 

More attention should be paid by our farmers to poultry, in the 
way of having better breeds and giving them more intelligent care. 

Eaising Cotton Under Boll-Weevil Conditions. 

The problem of cotton production under boll-weevil conditions 
resolves itself into hastening the growth of plants so as to insure a 
large 'crop of bolls by the middle of July and certainly by the 1st of 



BOLL WEEVIL. 17 

Auonst. Infestation Avill likely be too great for any large number 
of scjuares formed after tbat time to survive. 

It has been demonstrated conclusively that cotton can be grown 
with fair success under boll-weevil conditions, provided improved 
methods are followed and favorable weather conditions prevail. It 
will be well for the farmers of South Carolina to practice in advance 
of the boll weevil's coming those principles of scientific cultivation 
which would represent a good investment even were no boll weevils 
present. The following simple directions will accomplish the best 
results when the boil weevil reaches South Carolina, and with the 
exception of those ]3rocesses particularly designed to destroy the 
weevil, and to prevent its multiplication should be practiced now as 
well as later. 

SOILS. 

The value of a weJl-drained, fertile soil can not he overestimated 
in figlitlng the holl weevil. In the first place^ a well-drahied soil is 
ahsolntely necessai-y to success., as cotton will not make an early 
growth on a cold 'wet soil. In the second 'place, it has not heen found 
j)rofitahle to raise cotton on poor land under holl-iveevil conditions 
hecause the overhead expenses are so great that it makes the cost of 
production very high per pound of cotton. 

The first and most important factor in raising cotton profit ably 
under holl-weevil conditions is a fertile soil. 

The best practices to follow in order to secure a fertile soil are: 

1. Plant winter cover crops. These. not only help to conserve the 
fertility of the land^ and prevent washing and leaching., hut they also 
are valuable because the boll weevil can not live through the icinter 
in a green cover crop. 

2. Plant summer legumes everywhere possible and jylow under all 
such crops as are not needed to feed the live stock. This will rcetuce 
the fertilizer bill and add much valuable organic matter to the soils. 

3. Rotate crops so that cotton will not be planted on the same land 
two years in succession. 

Ij.. Use commercial fertilizer judiciously and cdl the barnyard ma- 
nure possible. 

PREPARATION. 

Where a cover crop is grown on land during the fall and wi?ifer, 
it should be plowed under early in the spring so that the land will 
have ample time to settle before planting. Cotton comes up more 
guicltly and starts growth earlier if planted on a firm, well-sett led 
seed bed than if planted on a loose one. 

Where no cover crop is used the land should be plotved in the fall 
or early winter, if a heavy clay soil, or early in the spring in the case 
of a sandy soil, and the seed beds should be made up early in the 
spring so that they will have ample time to settle before planting. 
Clay soils when plowed in the fall should be plowed deep to give 
'more room for root development. No soil should be plowed deep 
in the late spring or just before planting. 



18 BOLL WEEVIL. 

PLANTING. 

Cotton should he planted as early as jyosslble after danger of kill- 
ing frost is over and the ground is warm enough to insure quick 
germination and ra^nd groioth. More seed should he used than has 
been the custom in the j>ast, in order to insure a good stand without 
reyilanting. It is well to use from 1 to 2 bushels of seed per acre 
depending on the condition of the land. It is a distinct advantage 
when practicahle to delint the seed because delinted seed will germi- 
nate more quickly by several days^ imder adverse conditions, than 
will undelinted seed. 

SPACING, 

The loidth of the rows arid the distance between plants in the row 
should be regiilated according to the fertility of the land. The width 
of row should vary from about 3^ feet on our thin soils to Jf feet 
on our good cotton soils which have been producing up to a hale and 
more per acre., and to 4 2 f^^i on some of our extremely rich soils. 
The distance betiveen plants hi the row should be much less than has 
generally been used. It has been the almost universal experience of 
good farmers that they get the best residts luith thick spacing under 
boU-iueevil conditions. The experiments conducted by different ex- 
2)erimcnt stations have all resulted favorably to thick spacing. 

FERTILIZATION. 

Our best cotton soils are those that are well filled ivith hiimus or 
decaying organic matter. They are earlier and warmer and they 
give a more rapid and tnore unifonn growth to the 2)lonts because 
they hold more ivater and more available plant food. It is, there- 
fore, very important to provide an abundance of hiunus in our soils. 
After humus, nitrogen is the first limiting factor on 7iearly all the 
soils of this /State. Both humus and nitrogen are most economically 
supplied by p)lowing under summer legumes or green manure crops 
such as velvet beans, cowpeas, and soy beans, and winter cover crops 
such as crimson clover, rye and vetch, and oats and vetch. A liberal 
application of commercial fertilizer is also advisahle, and this fer- 
tilizer should contain an abundance of 'phosphoric acid, as this in- 
gredient hastens the maturity of the crop up 'to a point where the 
plant has all it requires in its growth. On most soils in this State 
about 300 pounds of acid phosphate per acre will give most profit- 
able results. A liberal amount of ammonia should also be used, as 
it has been found that ammonia also hastens the maturity of the 
crop up to a certain point. Too much ammonia delays the crop as 
does too little; hence the importance of having the correct amount 
of ammonia for each soil. Each farmer should study the needs of his 
soil and use the amount of ammonia, tahich he fi7ids best for his land. 
Potash is necessary on most of our sandy soils and som^e of out 
Piedmont soils. W here a good system of farming is practiced in the 
Piedmont sectioii, tohere the crops are rotated, and organic matter 
supplied, no potash shoidd be required. An excess of potash also 
tends to delay the maturity of the crop, and for this reason moderate 
applications generally give best results. A well-balanced fertilizer 
which supplies the needs of the soil to ivhich it is applied gives the 
earliest crop and the largest crop. 



BOLL WEEVIL. 19 

All of the phosphorus and potash and most of the nitrogen 
should he applied a.t or hefore planting time and the rest of the 
nitr^ogen should be applied hy the time the f-r.st squares begin to 
form. On very light sandy soils it is advisable to apply more of the 
nitrogen after the cotton is up^ but in no case shoidd this apjjiication 
be delayed until late in the season. Where large applications of fer- 
tiliser are made at planting time., it is important to mix the fertilizer 
with the soil thoroughly., so that it will not interfere with the germi- 
nation and early growth of the cotton. 

CULTIVATION. 

From the very start cotton should be cultivated intensively to pre- 
vent xveeds and grass from ever getting a start. To accomplish this^ 
frequent shallow cultivation is advisable. Cotton shoidd never be 
cultivated so deep as to destroy the roots of the plants., and under 
no condition should weeds and g\rass be allowed to get a start in the 
cotton., for they will delay the growth. 

VARIETIES. 

Numerous experiments in the boll-weevil infested area of this and 
other States have amply justified the recommendation of the follow- 
ing varieties for the conditions designated : 

A. Short staple varieties. 

1. Cleveland Big Boll for wilt- free land. 

2. Dixie Triumph for toilt- infested land. 

B, Long staple varieties. 

i. Webber No. 49. 

2. Delta-type Webber. 

It is important to have an early fruiting variety, but it is also 
imjyortant to have a variety which continues to fruit throughout the 
season. The boll weevil prefers to puncture squares and will do so 
if they asre present on the plants, but if none are to be found he will 
then puncture the half -grown bolls. This explains why it is impor- 
tant for a variety to continue fruiting throughout the season. 

It should be imderstood' that other varieties may in a given season 
and under favorable conditions yield more than these, but when 
tahen for a period of years these varieties have proved their supe- 
riority. • 

PLOWING UNDER OE STALKS. 

Remenibering that the iveevils ivhich survice the winter are the 
parents of the destructive army of the next year, every effort should 
he made to reduce the number of those which go into ^ihernationwith 
the coming of the cold weather. It is the number of adidt weevils 
alive tvhen the time for hibernation comes that counts. It is, there- 
fore, best to destroy the green cotton stalks just as soon as the 
cotton is harvested. This can be accomplished by turtiing under. 
This process, if done in time, tvill destroy a large number of adults 
and weevils in process of develop7nent, and will also, through lack 
of food, cause many remaining adults to migrate or perish. The 
effectiveness of stalk destruction depends on the length of time 
before frost that it is accomplished. 

Experiments in Louisiana show that tvhen cotton stalks were de- 
stroyed before October 15 only 3 per cent of the weevils survive 



20 BOLL WEEVIL. 

the winter^ whereas destruction of stalks on Octoher 27 allowed 15 
per cent to survive,' Novemher 25^ 22 per cent; hetween December 
16 and January 15^ J^S per cent. It is clear .^ therefore., that the earlier 
the stalks are destroyed^ the more effective the results loUl &e, hut 
tohere early destruction is impossihle., it is hetter late than never. 

COVER CROPS. 

// for any reason the stcdl's can not he ploiced under early in 
the fall., then the land should he seeded, to « cover crop hy planting 
in the middles tcifh a tlwee-tuhe drill. After frost, when the stalks 
are dry, they may he chopped, up toith a stalk cutter and thus throion 
doion into the green cover crop. The holl toeevil can not survice in 
this cover crop, hecause he can not evaporate sufficient moisture frotn 
his hody. The cover crop is, therefore, hoth a means of controlling 
the holl weevil and other serioits farm pests, and of huilding up the 
fertility of the land. 

Having followed cdl of the ahove directions, there will still remain 
those factors over which the farmer has no control. A rainy June and 
July may make it impossihle for hint to do his full jyart and he will 
have to suffer in consequence. Under holl iveevil conditions cotton 
ib no longer the certain crop that it once was, and no farmer is any 
longer safe in making it his sole reliance. Only hy raising his food 
supplies for man and heast and making other crops for sale can he he 
secure against disaster. 

COLLECTING WEEVILS. 

It may he helpful to pick iveevils from, the young cotton plants 
hefore the squares appear whenever cheap lahor that costs practi- 
cally nothing in cash is availahle. If uieevil collecting is done with 
the utmost care, giving special attention to pilaces xvhere the greatest 
nuniher of weevils hihernated, the majority of iveevils may he caught 
hefore they lay their eggs. It is estimated that uieevil collecting, 
when upon thorough search less than 60 iveevils jjer acre are found, 
is not profitahle. 

COLLECTING SQUARES. 

When low-priced lahor is availahle, square collecting will he help- 
ful if properly done. Collecting should he hegun ahout 10 days after 
the first hlooni is seen in the field. Unless it is done thoroughly it is 
unprofitahle. Ahout every pve days every square must he picked, not 
only those on the ground, hut also those that have dried on the 
plants, as well as those which show yellow color or are flared. This 
should he continued dinging the first few weeks of the square- forming 
period. During wet seasons, when cidtivation is imjjossihle, ploiv 
lahor may he used until cultivation can he resumed. Special at- 
tention should he given to places where a large numher of weevils 
passed, the winter, such as hottoni lands near woods, and in fields 
adjoining waste land or other places where rxdjhish occurs. 

DESTRUCTION OF STALKS. 

Eememberino- that the weevils which survive the winter are the 
l^arents of the destructive army of the next year, every effort should 
be made to reduce the number of those which go into hibernation 



BOLL WEEVIL. 21 

with the coming of cokl weather. It is the number of adult weevils 
alive when the time foi^ hibernation comes that counts. It is, there- 
fore, best to destroy the green cotton stalks just as soon as the cot- 
ton is harvested. This can be accomplished b}^ plowing up the stalks 
and burning tliem or by plowing them under. Either of these })roc- 
esses if done in time Avill destroy a large number of adults and 
weevils in process of development, and will also, through lack of 
food, cause many remaining adults to migrate or perish. The effec- 
tiveness of stalk destruction depends on the length of time before 
frost that it is accomplished. 

Having followed all of the above directions there will still remain 
these factors over which the farmer has no control. A rainy June 
and July may make it impossible for him to do his full part and he 
will have to suffer in consequence. Under boll-weevil conditions cot- 
ton is no longer the certain crop that it once was. and no farmer 
is any longer safe in making it his sole reliance. Only by raising his 
food supplies, for man and beast and making other croj)S for sale can 
he be secured against disaster. 

Conclusions. 

Having covered as best it could in limited space the general asj)ect 
of the boll-weevil question, the commission begs leave to make the 
following observations, suggestions, and recommendations : 

1. The commission regards as an imperative first condition tliat every farmer, 
whether an owner or a tenant, shall at once begin or continue to raise all pos- 
sible food supplies for the family and feed for all farm animals. This first 
condition having been fulfilled, in view of the high price of cotton likely to 
prevail next year as well as this, and the pressing necessity to get free of del)t 
and have some capital with which to purchase live stock, build fence, and other- 
wise prepare for the coming of the weevil, the commission recommends that 
the farmers of South Carolina plant all suitable remaining acreage in cotton 
and that the crop be highly fertilized and intensively cultivated, in order to 
produce a maximum yield with a maximum profit. 

2. The commission can not too strongly urge upon farmers the need of 
economy in every line to the end that some capital may be put aside with 
which to readjust agricultui-e to meet new conditions. All possible food and 
feed supplie.s, including meat, dairy, and jioultry products, should be raised on 
tlie farm. The surplus in every line should be sold to the best advantage and 
the money saved. Nothing should be purchased that can await a more conven- 
ient season. 

3. The commission respectfully submits that the business man and not the 
farmers must be responsible for the creation of markets for products other 
than cotton; and recognizing the intimate relation between uniformity and 
quality in production and successful and profitable marketing, suggests hearty, 
intelligent, and patriotic cooperation between chambers of commerce and the 
other business organizations and the farmei's of the surrounding territory. All 
such business relations and resulting enterprises should be planned on conserva- 
tive lines in order that there may result neither disappointment on the one 
liand nor failure on the other. 

4. Comparable on with the disaster due to the boll weevil itself would be the 
withdrawal of credit t(j the farmers by merchants and bankers. The connnission 
would respectfully recommend that there be such a continuation of credit as 
sound business considerations will permit, and that live stock and other farm 
commodities be made the basis of credit as well as cotton. At no time in the 
history of the State will bankers and merchants (who by virtue of their busi- 
ness relations are closer to the farmers than any other class of citizens) have 
so great an opportunity to be of service and the chance to exercise so wise a 
leadership as in the coming boll weevil crisis. 

The commission suggests that in the near future the merchants and bankers 
through their State organizations discuss, determine, and announce the policies 



22 BOLL WEEVIL. 

they will follow niuler boll-weevil conditions, so that farmers may make their 
plans accordin.^ly. 

5. The commission suggests that tho farmers of the State seek to insure 
themselves against the wholesale loss of labor which has occurred in other 
States. To that end the landlords or employers should make plain to laborers 
and tenants that they will be provided for if tlioy will remain, and will be given 
an opportunity to raise their food supplies. It would be wise as a part of this 
program to advance to each family at least one brood sow and a milch cow. 
Such a policy will be well woi-th while if it serves to hold the labor on the farm 
during the tirst two or three years of the l)oll-weevil invasion, when the 
temptation and inducements to migrate from the State will l)e at a maximum. 

G. Despite hardships and serious depreciation in values, the commission 
strongly urges upon landowners not to sacrifice their holdings. Freedom from 
debt, when the weevil reaches the State, is the first consideration of safety, 
and every farmer in debt should make a special effort in the next two years of 
grace to pay off mortgages on his land. 

In this connection the conunission would direct the attention of farmers to 
the recently established Federal land banks, and urge the formation of farm- 
loan associations through which money can be obtained cheaply on long-term 
paper. 

7. The conunission suggests that cotton oil mills should begin at once to foster 
the growing of peanuts and soy l)eans by offering prizes and by a liberal Ituying 
policy ; and that ginneries should ecpiip to husk, shell, clean, and sack corn, and 
clean and sack oats and other grains. 

8. The intensive cultivation of cotton and of many of tlie substitute crops, 
especially truck crops, will still i-equire a large amount of commercial fertiliz- 
ers. It is the opinion of the commission that the fertilizer industries will not 
suffer materially under boll-weevil conditions if cotton prices remain high and 
proper care is taken in extending credit. Fertilizer companies can materially 
aid in the policy of diversification by a sympathetic attitude toward the chang- 
ing conditions and by c<)op;-rating with the county demonstration agents and 
farmers' organizations and individual farmers. 

9. Recognizing that in the cooperative demonstration and extension work 
organized and conducted jointly by Clemson College and the United States De- 
partment of Agriculture there exists an efficient State-wide organization of 
specialists and agents prepared to do effective work in every county, the com- 
inissiou urges this agency to take the lead in carrying on a campaign for pre- 
pjiredness against the coming of the boll weevil. It is not too soon to begin 
this work in every county in the State, but there is special need of immediate 
action in the counties bordering the Georgia line. 

The people are urged to utiiize to the utmost the resources of their agricul- 
tural college, the State depaitment of agriculture, the bulletins of the Federal 
Department of Agriculture, and all other agencies that can be of assistance in 
the coming campaign. 

There is great necessity for concerted action all along the line, because the 
weevil will prove itself to be not only the faniiers' burden, but an economic 
problem common to all classes and all lines of business'in the State. 

10. In conclusion the commission would urge the wisdom of conservatism, 
even in diversilkation. It is best to make small beginnings along new lines 
rather than risk too much. In the time remaining before the boll weevil be- 
comes established in this State our farmers should learn on a small scale how 
to care for live stock and how to produce and market substitute crops. If 
this is not done, discouragements an.d serious loss may be the only result of 
diversification. 

That they attempted to raise one crop of cotton too many is the general testi- 
mony of farmers in the infested territory. It was the last attempt that ruined 
many. Tlie conunission hopes that the farm.ers of South Carolina may be 
wiser than their brothers in Louisiana and Mississippi, and by prudent fore- 
sight find it not necessary to carry (mce too often all their eggs in one basket. 



Respectfully, 
CoLUMBLV, S. C, November 



Richard I. Manning, Chairman. 



o 



LIBR.4RY OF CONGRESS 



oooDflflflmaB 



